


Not at all

by orphan_account



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-09
Updated: 2014-02-09
Packaged: 2018-01-11 16:23:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1175217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim needs a date for a Starfleet event and he knows who he wants to ask, but lately there's been too much distance between them for his taste.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not at all

All captains and first officers have to go to these fancy dinners with Starfleet Command whenever they’re on Earth, and Jim hates it.

They’re supposed to be social occasions but they always result in endless talks about work and responsibilities and rules and it’s just unbelievably boring.

He even tried getting Spock to play a drinking game with him, once.  
“Take a shot every time someone mentions how important the Prime Directive is and half the Admiralty glares at me.”

All he got was a quirked eyebrow and a “That would be unwise”. He swears he almost saw him smirk, though.

It was the last week before the Enterprise was due to warp back into space for a second five-year mission when he received a notice for another one of those dreadful things.

There was a note at the end saying you could take someone with you.  
Jim groaned. One more of these awful things and the pressure of getting a date, he thought, fantastic.

It wasn’t that Jim wouldn’t easily be able to find someone who’d go with him, it was more of a matter of not being able to ask who he really wanted to go with.

He had known for so long, at least since the start of the first five-year mission. It was a harmless crush throughout the years at the Academy, but after that he fell in love with Bones and he fell hard.

The past six months had been hell, he went from spending every single day in a spaceship with him for five years to living in an otherwise empty apartment near the Academy. Bones was working at the clinic all the time and they saw each other once or twice a week, if he was lucky. He always looked exhausted, and sad too, though he denied anything being wrong whenever Jim asked.

When he got to the front door of Leo’s apartment he felt like he’d been holding his breath the whole way there. He hesitated for a minute, bouncing on his feet, before reaching up to ring the doorbell, hand shaking. Bones only took a few seconds to get to the door. He looked tense.

“Oh, hey, Jim.” They stared at each other awkwardly for a second before he moved aside to let him through. “Uh, come in.” 

“If you’re busy I can just come back some other time…”

“No, no, I just… wasn’t expecting you, that’s all.”

He looked uncomfortable and Jim wondered if this really was as terrible an idea as he thought.

“I should’ve called or something, ‘nstead of just showing up like this.”

“Jim, please, it’s fine. Guess I’m just no good at greeting surprise guests.”

Jim swallowed dry and looked around the room.

“Nice place.”

Bones followed his wandering gaze for a second before dropping his to the floor, rubbing the back of his neck, face slightly flushed with embarrassment.

“Right, you’d never actually been here before. I’m sorry, I’ve been really busy, and I just-“

“I know, ‘s fine, Bones.” Jim buried his hands in his pockets and pointedly avoided looking at him.

“You okay?” He seemed a bit less guarded for a moment, taking one step closer to Jim, who stepped back in reflex but regretted it immediately upon the faltering of Leo’s expression.

“Sorry, I… Bones, I’m…” He took a deep breath and looked up, eyes locked on Leo’s. “I’m in love with you.” His mouth fell open and his eyes widened but Jim went on, eyes dropping to his own feet. “Have been for years and was just too much of a coward to say anything until now and I’m sorry if this screws things up between us, I couldn’t keep it in any longer, and I think you were getting sick of me already anyway, so…”

“Jim.” Bones had walked over to him quietly and was mere inches away.

He looked up at him to see eyes as watery as his own had gotten, and the faintest of smiles. “Oh god, Jim, I’m so sorry.” He slid his hands from his shoulders down along Jim’s arms and placed them on his hips, pulling him closer. He chuckled and shook his head softly before pressing their foreheads together. “I’m an idiot, we’re both idiots, really. I’m sorry, I even picked up extra shifts at the clinic ‘cause I thought it’d be easier like this, if I just didn’t see you.”

“Bones, what-” he was cut off with a soft pressing of Leo’s lips to his own. His hands were at the small of Jim’s back, holding him close, and Jim’s trailed up his torso until they were at the back of his neck and running through his dark hair.

Bones pulled away just far enough to look at his eyes.

“I love you too, Jim. Well, obviously.” He offered an apologetic smile. “Wasn’t that obvious the past few months, I s’pose.”

“Nope, not at all.” 

“I’m sorry.” He kissed him again, just a quick peck this time. “Just… why now?”

Jim smiled sheepishly.

“I uh, I actually came here just to ask you if you wanted to uh, be my date to this dumb dinner thing with Starfleet Command. The whole confessing my everlasting love to you thing was a bit of last second decision.” 

“Everlasting, huh?” He smirked and kissed Jim’s now reddened cheek.

“Shut up. Will you go with me or not?”

“Of course.”

“Suit and tie.”

He raised an eyebrow and Jim just shrugged.

“I don’t make the rules, Bonesy. Not that I’m complaining.”

He reached up for another kiss, arms bent between them and hands tugging at the front of Leo’s shirt.

“Pick you up at 7?” He breathed into his neck after a trail of kisses along his jaw.

“Sure.” He let go of Jim and walked him to the door. He was just a step out when he turned to look at Bones with a smirk.

“You don’t mind if I put in a formal request for the Captain to share his quarters with the CMO back on the ship, do you?”

He smiled back, eyes bright, and kissed him before shaking his head.

“Not at all, Jim.”


End file.
